Toy assembly

ABSTRACT

THIS INVENTION, WHICH PROVIDES A NEW TOY ASSEMBLY, CONSISTS ESSENTIALLY OF A POWER UNIT AND A MOVING UNIT, SAID POWER UNIT COMPRISING A DRIVING MECHANISM HAVING MOTOR MEANS, SAID MOVING UNIT COMPRISING A TRANSMISSION GEAR AND ADAPTED TO TRAVEL BY DRIVE POWER DERIVED FROM SAID MOTOR MEANS, AND CHARACTERIZED IN THAT SAID POWER UNIT IS DETACHABLY MOUNTED ON SAID MOVING UNIT.

Jan. 12, 1971 KAZUO, TAZAK] 3,553,885

Toy ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 29, 1968 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. KB 2 U 0 TH ZHKI WWW I Jan. 12, 1971 KAZUO. TAZAKI 3,553,885

TOY ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 29, 1968 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

KHZUo THZHK! WMW M Mww r United States Patent TOY ASSEMBLY Kazuo Tazaki, Tokyo, Japan, assignor to Tomy Kogyo 'Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan Filed Feb. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 709,279 Claims priority, application Japan, Nov. 17, 1967,

Int. Cl. A63h 33/26 US. Cl. 46-243 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a toy, and more particularly to a toy assembly comprising in combination a power unit of an appropriate form, such as a space man simulating model, and a moving unit arranged to receive the power unit in detachable engagement and to be driven by it. A driving mechanism including a motor means such as an electric motor is contained within the power unit.

It, is therefore, one object of the present invention to provide entertainment and amusement for children by providing a new and useful toy assembly comprising in combination a power unit simulating a man, an animal, etc. and a moving unit, such as a toy vehicle, adapted to receive and to be driven by the power unit.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and useful toy of the kind described above which is provided with an eye-catching detachably connected accessory unit.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toy of the character stated above which is simple in operation and which can be produced and sold at a reasonable cost.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a power unit in the form of a space exploring man, illustrating one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one example of an accessory unit to be detachably connected to the power unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a moving unit in the form of a toy vehicle, combinable with the power unit shown in FIG. 1 in one embodiment of the present invention; and

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FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view of the power unit of FIG. 1 illustrating the manner in which it is mounted on the moving unit.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown one embodiment of the present invention which comprises in combination a power unit 1, a moving unit 9 and an accessory unit 22.

In the illustrated embodiment, the power unit 1 is shaped as a space exploring man and is provided on its back with a pair of bomb-like containers 2 in each of which is encased a dry cell battery 2a. The shape of the power unit 1 may, of course, be other than that as illustrated, for example, the power unit 1 may be of an animal shape as desired. Within the housing or body 3 of the unit is provided a driving mechanism 4 as shown in FIG. 4 which provides the means for propelling the moving unit 9. The driving mechanism 4 includes a vertically extending driving shaft 5 which projects downwardly through an opening 3a formed in :a lower portion of the body 3. Disposed within the body 3 is an electric motor 6 which is electrically connected to and powered by the dry cells 2a housed in the containers 2. The motor 6 transmits its power through its shaft to the driving shaft 5 by means of a train of gears 7'. The lower end 8 of the driving shaft 5 has a square transverse cross section shape and is adapted to be coupled into a similarly shaped socket 11 formed in the upper end of a transmission shaft 10 which is rotatable about its vertical axis and is fixed to the moving unit 9. The power unit 1 is provided with switch means, not shown, for selectively electrically connecting said dry cells 2a to said motor 6.

In the illustrated embodiment, the moving unit 9 is a toy vehicle transportable on wheels 12, but it is shown only *by way of example and not limited to such a toy vehicle. In this example, a crown gear 14 is fixedly mounted on an axle 13 bearing the wheels 12 and is arranged to mesh with a pinion 15 fixed to the lower end of the transmission shaft 10.

The moving unit 9 in the form of a toy vehicle simulating a moon exploring vehicle is provided with a recess 16 for receiving the lower ends of said bomb-like containers 2, a seat 17 arranged to support the power unit 1, on which the unit in the form of a space exploring man can be seated, and with a chamber 19 into which the legs 18 of the space exploring means can be inserted. In this arrangement the power unit 1 is held securely in place on the moving unit 9. It is to be noted, however, that it is not essential for the present invention to provide such interfitting portions, because there are many other ways to hold the power unit 1 securely on the moving unit 9, for example, it is quite an easy matter for those skilled in the art to locate and hold the power unit 1 on the moving unit 9 in an upright position.

As shown in FIG. 1, a socket 28 is provided in a side portion of the power unit 1 in circuit with the dry cell batteries so that an electrical plug 21 connected to the accessory unit 22 may be engaged in the socket to make an electrical contact with the batteries 2a. As shown in FIG. 2, the accessory unit 22 is a toy gun housing an electric device, not shown, including electric lamps which are adapted to emit red light intermittently. This toy gun accessory is designed to be held by the hands of the space exploring man. It goes without saying that different acces sory units may be attached to the power unit 1 other than the unit 22 shown in FIG. 2.

It is noted that a spring motor, not shown, may be employed in the power unit 1 instead of the electric motor 6. If a spring motor is employed, the dry cells 2a and the socket 20 are, of course, not needed. However, any suitable accessory may be provided.

As may be seen from the forgoing description, the toy in accordace with the present invention consists essentially of a power unit 1 of an appropriate shape and a moving unit 9 of an appropriate shape to go with the power unit. The moving unit 9 contains the transmission shaft 10 detachably coupled or engaged with the shaft 5 of the driving mechanism 4 located with the power unit 1. Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, the power unit 1 and the moving unit 9 can be provided with various shapes or forms of mutually replacably engagable units by utilizing uniform disconnectably engageable driving shafts 5 and transmission shafts 10 so that a child can selectively replace on unit with another as desired at any time, thus enabling socalled play value of the toy to be highly increased.

While I have described and shown one embodiment of the present invention, various modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, I do not wish the invention to be limited to the preferred embodiment, but intend that it should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy comprising, in combination, a moving unit and power unit removably coupled to said moving unit for transmitting driving motion thereto, said moving unit comprising a body shaped as a toy vehicle, driven means positioned Within said body for propelling said moving unit, said driven means comprising a transmission having an upwardly extending first coupling end and said body having an opening therein aligned with said first coupling end for affording access thereto from the exterior of said body, said power unit comprising a body shaped as a toy figure and arranged to be removably seated in said body of said moving unit, drive means located Within said body of said power unit, said drive means comprising an electric motor, a driving shaft, and gear means operatively connected to said electric motor and driving shaft transmitting rotational movement from said electric motor to said driving shaft, a separate holder attached to said body of said power unit and arranged to contain dry cell batteries for operating said electric motor, said driving shaft having a second coupling end projecting downwardly from said body and removably coupled with said first coupling end of said transmission shaft so that said driving shaft drives said transmission shaft which in turn imparts motion to said moving unit through said driven means.

2. A toy, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electric motor comprises a motor drive shaft, said gear means in said power unit comprises a first gear mounted on said motor drive shaft, a second gear mounted on said driving shaft, an intermediate gear disposed between said first and second gears and in meshed engagement therewith for transmitting motion from said electric motor to said driving shaft, and said driven means for propelling said moving unit compn'seswheel means mounted on said body for moving said moving unit along a supporting surface, and gear means arranged to be driven by said transmission shaft and to drive said wheel means.

3. A toy, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said body of said power unit is in the form of a space exploring man, said separate holder comprises a pair of bomb-like containers for holding dry cell batteries, and said body of said moving unit is in the form of a vehicle simulating a space exploring vehicle and said body having a recess therein for receiving the lower ends of said bomb-like containers.

4. A toy, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said body of said power unit in the form of a space exploring man comprises rotatable legs secured thereto, and said body of said moving unit in the form of a space exploring vehicle is shaped to form a seat for said body of said power unit and to form a chamber for receiving the legs of said body of said power unit so that said power unit fits into said moving unit.

5: A toy, as set forth in claim 2, which comprises a detachable accessory unit, means for attaching said accessory unit to said power unit and for electrically connecting said accessory unit to said batteries, said accessory unit arranged to contain an electrically operated device to be operated by said batteries.

6. A toy, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said power unit comprises a socket member electrically connected to said batteries, said means for electrically connecting said accessory unit comprises a plug removably engageable with said socket for electrically connecting said accessory unit with said batteries so that the electrically operated device contained in said accessory unit is arranged to emit light when the electrical circuit with said batteries are closed.

7. A toy, as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of said first coupling end of said transmission shaft and said second coupling end of said driving shaft is a rod-like member having a polygonally shaped transverse section and the other one of said first coupling end of said transmission shaft and said second coupling end of said driving shaft is a socket shaped member having an opening with a polygonally shaped transverse section corresponding to said transverse section of said rod-like member so that the two can be coupled together in driving engagement.

8. A toy comprising, in combination, a moving unit and a power unit removably coupled to said moving unit for transmitting driving motion thereto, said moving unit comprising a body shaped as a toy vehicle, wheels mounted on said body for moving it over a support surface, driven means positioned Within said body for driving the wheels thereof, said driven means comprising a transmision shaft having an upwardly extending first coupling end, an upwardly directed socket formed in said first coupling end having a polygonally shaped transverse cross section, said body having an opening therein aligned with said socket in said first coupling end for affording access thereto from the exterior of said body, said driven means comprising a pinion aflixed to the lower end of said transmission shaft, an axle fitted into said wheels for moving said moving unit, a crown gear mounted on said axle and in meshed engagement with said pinion so that movement is transmitted from said transmission shaft to said wheels, the upper surface of said body being shaped to provide a seat-like recess therein, said power unit comprising a body shaped as a toy figure and arranged to be removably seated in the seat-like recess in said body of said moving unit, drive means located within said body of said power unit, said drive means comprising an electric motor, a driving shaft and gear means operatively connected to said electric motor and driving shaft for transmitting rotational movement from said electric motor to said driving shaft, a motor drive shaft extending out wardly from said electric motor, a first gear member mounted on said motor drive shaft for rotation therewith, a second gear member mounted on said driving shaft for rotation therewith and said second gear member being spaced from said first gear member, an intermediate gear member mounted within said body of said power unit and disposed in meshed engagement with said first gear member and said second gear member for transmitting driving motion from said electric motor to said driving shaft, said driving shaft having a second coupling end projecting downwardly from said body when said body is fitted within the seat-like recess in said body of said moving unit, said second coupling end having a rod-like shape with a polygonally shaped transverse cross section which corresponds to the transverse cross section of said socket in said first coupling end of said transmission shaft so that said second coupling end is releasably coupled into said socket in said first coupling end of said transmission shaft for transmitting rotational movement from said driving shaft to said transmission shaft, a pair of bomb-shaped containers mounted on the back of said body of said power unit and arranged to hold dry cell batteries for supplying power to said electric motor, said seat-like recess in said body of said moving unit being shaped to receive the lower ends of said bomb-shaped containers, an accessory unit, a socket member formed in said body of said power unit and accessible on the exterior surface thereof, means for electrically connecting said accessory unit into said socket member comprising a plug removably engageable with said 'socket member for powering said accessory unit, and said body comprising rotatable legs secured thereto with said legs being movable into a seating position relative to said body 'for positioning said body Within said seat-like recess in said body of said moving unit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 46--116, 202 

